Cabinet construction



Se t. 30, 1941. 'K HO AS 2,257,625

CABINET CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l lmiiilli INVENTOR II N Edward K. Thomas BY I lk ATTORNEYS Sept. 30, 1941. K, THQMAS 2,257,625

CABINET CQNSTRUCTION I Filed D80. .15, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 P 3 1 E. K. THQ )M AS 2,257,625

CABINET CONSTRUCTION- Filed Dec. 13, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Ta. E /6 48 1 /6 INVENTOR BEd'ward K. Thomas Patented Sept. 30, 1941 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CABINET CONSTRUCTION Edward'K. Thomas, Miami, Fla. Application December 13, 1939, Serial No. 308,916

Claims. 01. 5-2) 1 This invention relates to furnishings for living quarters and, more in particular, to a combination unit which is constructed to be used as a bed and a cabinet or desk.

An object of this inventioneis to provide a bedcabinet unit of simple and durable construction which is adequate for itsuses but which is confined to a minimum space. Another object is to provide equipment for living quarters which is light in weight and thoroughly practical and efficient in construction. Another object is to provide equipment of th above character which may be converted for its various uses and which may be transported easily from one place to another. These and other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out below The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified inthe structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings:

Figur 1 is a perspective View ofone embodiment showing the combination unit in the upright position; 1

Figure 2 is a similar perspective view showingthe unit partially lowered;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line'3-3 of Figure 4, showing certain details of construction;

Figure 4 is a view partly in section, showing the unit in its lowered position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figur 4, showing theunit in its upright position;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 4, showing the spring-balancing mechanism; I

Figure-7 is a sectional view on the line 'l! of Figure 6, showing a linkage unit which attaches the lower end of one of the balancing springs; and l Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, showing, the linkage unitin another position.

,The present application is a continuation-inpart of my copending application, Serial No. 206,971, filed May 10, 1938, and issued March 12, 1940, as Patent No. 2,193,352, The present embodiment is adapted for use in the manner outlined in that application.

Referring particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, the unit shown is a combination bed, bookcase, chest of drawers and writing. desk or secre-v tary. A casing 2 is provided which forms a base {or theunit and encloses the unit when the unit is in the upright position. At the bottom of the casing is rigidly mounted a base section indicated at 4, having doors 6. Positioned above section 4 are four movable sections 8, l0, l2 and [4, which are supported at their ends (see Figures 2 and 3) by a linkage construction. This linkage construce tion comprises a pair of links l6 and 18 at each side of the unit, which are pivoted (see also Figures 4 and 5) upon the end walls of base section 4 at 20 and 22, respectively. Links l8 are fiat bars (Figure 3), while links 16 are angle bars with perpendicularly extendingpivot arms ll. Sections 8, ll], l2 and I4 are pivoted to these pivot arms l1 on link [6 at 2|, 24, 26 and'28,

L respectively, and to link l8 at 30, 32, 34 and 36,

respectively.

As shown best in Figure 4, the links l6 and 18 of eachrpair are connected at their centers bya cross-link 49 and at the left by a similar crosslink 38. Cross-link 40 has integral therewith a downwardly, extending leg 4|, and cross-link 38 has a similar downwardly extending leg 31. Legs 31 and 4| are vertical at all times so that they afford reliable support for theunit when itis in the lowered position of Figure 4, and they are flush with links l8 when the unit is in the upright position of Figure 5. i

At the right of pivots 20 (Figure l) is a transversely extending angle bar 42, which is welded at itsends to links it and which carries the upper ends of a plurality of tension springs 44 (see also Figure 6). Springs 44 counterbalance the weightof the movable sections and in this man-. ner facilitate the raising and lowering of the unit. Illustratively, there are eight springs 44, there being four springs at the center (designated 44a) and two springs at each end of the angle bar 42. The lower ends of springs 44 are attached to a transversely extending angle bar 46 secured at the bottom of the cabinet. The upper ends of all of the springs and the lower ends of the springs at the ends of the angle bars are securely looped into holes in the angle bars. However, the lower ends of the center springs Men are attached through linkage units so that these springs may be rendered inoperative individually, thus rendering the balancing effect of the springs readily adjustable.

The details of one of these linkage units are shown in Figures 7 and 8, Figure 7 showing the linkage positioned so that the spring is operative and Figure 8 showing th linkage positioned so that the spring is not operative. Spring 44a is looped into an eyebolt 43, the shank of which is slidable into and out of a sleeve 45, welded to sections.

angl bar 46 and reenforced by a vertically extending web 41. The left end of eyebolt 43 is hinged to an operating bolt 49 which has a shank of the same diameter and length as the shank of the eyebolt.

' When the eyebolt is in the position of Figure '7, the lower end of spring 44a is held stationary and thus, when the cabinet sections are lowered to the position of Figure 4, spring 440, is effective in counterbalancing the weight of the cabinet When the linkage comprising eyebolt 43- and operating bolt 49 is in the position of Figure 8, the eyebolt swings freely about its pivot and when the'cabinet sections are lowered, the

eyebolt merely swings from the position shown in broken lines to ,the full-line position. Thus, spring-44a is not tensioned and, therefore, is

, not effective to assist in counterbalancing the 7 weight of the cabinet sections.

7 8. Accordingly, operating bolt 49 may be grasped and pulled to the left so that the shank of the eyebolt is positioned within sleeve 45 as shown in' Figure '7. When'operating bolt 49 is released, it falls to the position shown and acts as a latch to hold the shank of the eyebolt within sleevev '45. In this way, the lower end of spring 44a is read- 11y released so that the spring is inoperative However, when: spring 44a is rendered operative, it is securely held.

In practice, the counterbalancing effect of the springs is adjusted by first making all of'the springs effective when the cabinet unit is in the elevated position; the central group of springs 4411. are then released one at a time until the unit can be lowered without difficulty. The adjustmentof the counterbalancing effectis provided mainly to allow for books and other articles whichmay be placed within the cabinet sections. Normally, the cabinet sections are used only when they. are in theelevated position, and the weight is not: changed after the sections have been 1ow-- ered. Thus, the adjustment of the counterbalancing effect need not be changed while the cab inet sections are lowered.

I As shown best in Figure 3, the angle bar portions of links I6 form a supporting frame for boxsprings unit 48 (see also Figure 4), and secured to the top of the box-springs unit is an. innerspring mattress 50. Referring to the left of Figure 4, in the side of links l6 are elongated slots- 52 which receive pins 54 (see also Figure 3) rigidly mounted in the sides of theframe of the box-springs unit 48. In this manner the box-springs unit is securely held by links it, but may be slid longitudinally from the position shown in broken lines (Figure 4), to the position for use, shown in full lines. When in the full-line position, if the movable cabinet sections are raiseditoward the position of Figure 5, the box- "springs unit and mattress automatically slide to the unit in the lowered position; and the unit. does net nd qp ee Extending upwardly from the front edge of section [4, and along the sides of the section, is a board 56 which covers the space above and at the sides of this section when the unit is in the elevated position; this board also acts as a bedend when the unit is in the lowered position.

Movable sections 8, l0, I2 and I4 are in the form of box-like frames with vertical back and end walls and. with horizontal upper walls. The bottom walls are not horizontal but extend upwardly toward the rear to provide space between each section and the section immediately above it. This permits the sections to pass each other when they are being moved to and from the elevated position; this space is hidden when the sections are elevated.

As the unitis moved from the position shown in Figure 4 through the position of Figure 2 to the position of Figure 5, the links I B and I8 swing about their respective pivots 20 and 22, and the movable sections 8, H), I 2 and 14 are held rigidly upright so that articles contained in these sections are not disturbed. As indicated. above, when the unit is inthe raised position. it is supported by links IE: and I8 upon base section 4, and thus the unit may be moved asa cabinet. When desirable, casing 2 may be built into the wall or it may be anchored to the floor. When the unit is in the lowered position of Fig ure 4, legs 3-? and 4%, and base section 4 provide a sturdy and secure support for the mattress;

As indicated, above, stationary section 4' is provided with a pair of doors 6 (see Figure 1), and section 8 is provided with lower drawers '58 and upper drawers 66. Section H2 is a writing desk with ahinged door 64 which opens to the positions shown in Figure 1, and which closes as shown in Figures 2' and 5. Each of sections I2 and i4 is provided with a book space covered. by a glass door 66, and apair of drawers 68. Drawers 53 and 68 are short and are provided'with upwardly extending bottoms to fit the contour of I the bottoms of the movable sections.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes.

' might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbezfore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. a a

I claim: 7

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of z a base structure having two ends and a front and rear; a frame structure having two link members pivotally mounted to swing in parallel pathswith their pivots in align ment and upon the opposite ends of said base structures, and a pair of parallel frame members mounted upon pivots in alignment above and at the rear of the first-mentioned pivots, said parallel frame members cooperating to form a frame support for a bed; ,a plurality of movable sections each independently carried by said links and frame members with pivotal connections spacedsubstantially. the same'as the spacing between the first and second-named pivots whereby said movable sections are swung from vertical alignment to-horizontal alignment and are main tained in their upright positions 'at all times and whereby said bedis simultaneouslymoved-from a vertical position behind said sections to a'h'ori zontal position for use; and an adjustable balancing means? to facilitate the swinging of said sections including aplurality of springs and means to change the number of springs which are effective.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of: means comprising a base structure having two ends and having a front side and a rear side; means comprising a first pair of pivots which are in alignment and one of which is on one of said ends and the other of which is on the other of said ends, and means comprising a second pair of pivots which are in alignment and one of which is on said one of said ends and the other of which is on the said other of said ends, said first pair of pivots being near said rear side and being spaced upwardly from the bottom of said base structure and said second pair of pivots being positioned adjacent said front side and being spaced below the vertical plane of said first pair of pivots; a frame structure comprising two pairs of link members corresponding to said pairs of pivots with each one of said link members corresponding to and pivoted substantially at its one end to swing about one of said pivots; and a plurality of movable sections each independently carried by said link members by means of four pivotal connections which are spaced upon the end walls of the section in positions corresponding to the positioning of said first and second pairs of pivots upon said base structure, each of said sections having a front face which forms a portion of the front of the cabinet when said sections are in vertical alignment.

3. In a cabinet construction in which a plurality of sections are supported upon a rigid base by a swinging frame construction so that the sections may be moved from vertical alignment to and from horizontal alignment and the sections are maintained upright during such movement, th combination with said base and with said frame of a counterbalancing mechanism comprising, a plurality of springs each of which is attached at one end to said base and at the other end to said frame construction, and attaching means for one end of one of said springs formed by an eyebolt and means to move the shank of said eyebolt to and from a sleeve, whereby said. eyebolt is held rigid when its shank is within said sleeve and said eyebolt is permitted to swing when its shank is out of said sleeve.

4. In cabinet construction, the combination of: means comprising a base structure; a swinging frame construction mounted on said base structure; a pluralityof cabinet sections carried by said frame construction and adapted to swing from vertical alignment above said base structure to and from horizontal alignment at the side of said base structure, said frame construction being such as to maintain each of said cabinet sections in its upright position during the swinging movement; and a bed structure slidably mounted to move away in a direction from said base structure over said cabinet sections when said cabinet sections are in horizontal alignment so that said bed structure tends to hold said cabinet sections from swinging upwardly.

5. In a combination cabinet construction of the character described, the combination of: means comprising a base structure having two ends and having a front side and a rear side;

means comprising a first pair of pivots which are in alignment and one of which is on one of said ends and the other of which is on the other of said ends; and means comprising a second pair of pivots which are in alignment and one of which is on one ofsaid ends and the other of which is on the other of said ends; said first pair of pivots being near said rear side and being spaced upwardly from the bottom of said base structure and said second pair of pivots being positioned adjacent said front side and being spaced below the vertical plane of said first pair of pivots; a frame structure comprising, two pairs of link members corresponding to said pairs of pivots with each one of said link members corresponding to and pivoted substantially at one of its ends to swing about one of said pivots, and a pair of cross-link members one of which is positioned substantially within the plane of each of said ends of said base structure with said cross-link members pivoted to the free ends of said link members, said cross-link members having leg extensions which are positioned to engage the floor and support the frame structure when said link members are in substantially horizontal position; and a pluralityof movable cabinet sections each carried by said link members with each cabinet section having four pivotal connections which are spaced upon the end walls of the cabinet section in positions corresponding to the positions of said first and second pivots upon said base structure and with one of said pivotal connections being with each of said link members, each of said sections having a front face which is adapted to form a portion of the front of the cabinet when said sections are in vertical alignment.

EDWARD K. THOMAS. 

